At 34th District Court on June 6, Dontao Eugene Cavins, 17, waived his preliminary exam by video from the Wayne County Jail where he was being lodged on $5,000/10% bond.
Judge David Parrott scheduled him for a June 13 arraignment on the information in the warrant and police report at the Frank Murphy Hall of Justice.
Cavins is charged with unlawful driving away of a motor vehicle, larceny in a building, and unlawful use of a motor vehicle in Sumpter Township on May 20.
His court-appointed attorney said this was Cavins’ first felony offense and the car was recovered and belonged to a family member. He asked for his client to get personal bond so he wouldn’t have to spend any more time in the Wayne County Jail, “which is not a good place for a 17 year old.”
But the Wayne County Assistant Prosecutor said Cavins has had numerous contacts with the police and is homeless, “So I don’t know where he would go … literally he would be on the street.” The prosecutor also said $5,000/10% bond is pretty reasonable.
“I have a place to stay,” Cavins called out through the video.
“If he were at Dickerson it would be different,” the defense attorney said referring to another county jail site. “But he’s in the Wayne County Jail with robbers and killers and he’s only 17.”
Judge Parrott referred Cavins to pretrial services for a bond review and continued the bond as set.
The arraignment on the information was held June 13 and a plea was considered. A disposition conference was set for June 26.

James Robert Bullock
James Robert Bullock, 49, did not show up for his probable cause conference and so Judge Parrott signed a bench warrant for his arrest. Bullock had been out on personal recognizance bond of $10,000 and that was revoked.
Bullock is charged with operating with a high blood alcohol content, fleeing police in a vehicle, driving while license suspended-2nd and ORV-open intoxicants on June 13, 2016 in Sumpter Township.
On June 20, he was brought before Judge Tina Brooks Green from the Wayne County Jail and he waived his preliminary exam. He is due for an arraignment on the information at circuit court on June 27.

Matthew Ramiro Sanchez
Matthew Ramiro Sanchez, 34, had his preliminary exam adjourned until June 20 on a charge of operating while intoxicated-3rd in Belleville on May 2. He is free after posting $10,000/10% bond. His retained attorney is Theodore Metry but another lawyer stood in for Metry at that court session.
On June 20, Metry asked for an adjournment so he could apply for Sobriety Court and get the charges reduced and Judge Green adjourned his next court date to July 11.

Kirsten Kathleen Flatley
Kirsten Kathleen Flatley told Judge Parrott she has just hired attorney Jim Murray and so her probable cause conference was adjourned to June 13 and her preliminary exam to June 20. Judge Parrott told her the file shows she needs to be fingerprinted so she should go to the Belleville Police Department for that.
She is charged with unlawful use in the City of Belleville.

Jason Edward Barnes
Jason Edward Barnes, 43, is facing two charges of false report or threat of terrorism and two charges of assaulting or obstructing a public officer at the 34th District Court in Romulus on March 19. Barnes is lodged in the Wayne County Jail on bond of $100,000/10%.
His new, court-appointed attorney Regina Triplett told Judge Parrott that her client has a history of mental illness and in 2002 was found incompetent to stand trial in a case.
She said she did not have the opportunity to talk to her client because Barnes did not come to the video camera to talk to her. She said the deputy put him in a psych unit.
He was not present in Judge Parrott’s courtroom although he was sought to be there via video.
Triplett said Romulus Police Officer Hussein Farhat spoke of a video, but no one knows where the video is. She said she doesn’t know what the issue is.
She said in a note from the Prosecutor, the court was asked to recuse itself and it was denied.
She said the incident occurred during video arraignment and she wants the video of that.
Judge Parrott said as far as he knows there is no recorded videos of arraignments. He suggested she check with court administrator Al Hindman and, “I could give you an order if it exists … I’m pretty sure it isn’t retained … Alan Hindman could certify one way or the other,” Judge Parrott said.
The incident happened before Judge Brian Oakley and he recused himself from the case. Judge Tina Brooks Green also recused herself, so Judge Parrott is the only judge left in the court who isn’t recused.
Defense attorney Triplett said she wants the opportunity to go face to face with her client and maybe she could wait a couple of days and try again. She asked again about a motion to recuse the court.
Judge Parrott said what he understands is that Barnes is alleged to have made threats against Judge Oakley and the prosecutor and possibly an officer. Judge Parrott said he was given the opportunity for a recusal order, but there is no reason to recuse himself and he is obligated to take the case.
“You can file a motion and if I were to deny, you have the right to appeal to Judge Green. She already recused herself,” Judge Parrott said. “I don’t know if it was a blanket recusal request. I haven’t seen a motion. If you want to make a motion …”
“Is Judge Green’s recusal on record?” Triplett asked and Judge Parrott said he didn’t know.
“Am I the last judge standing?” he asked. “I am,” he answered himself.
“I want to talk to my client and tell him my intention,” Triplett said, asking for an adjournment for two weeks.
Judge Parrott said since they have a rotation of cases at the court among the three judges, he adjourned the probable cause conference for three weeks, until June 27, and the preliminary exam for another three weeks until July 18.